O's game blog: Trying to avoid another sweep in final game before All-Star break

The All-Star break for the Orioles arrives after today's series and homestand finale against the Yankees. They are not exactly charging into the break. The Birds are 0-5 this homestand and have have been outscored 31-4.

They have scored two, zero, zero, one and one run in the five games and have scored just two runs their past 42 innings. The O's have gone a season-high four straight games without a home run.

The Orioles (57-38) and Yankees (58-39) are tied for the American League East lead, which will be held at the break by the winner of today's game. Technically the O's enter this game leading the division by percentage points, playing .600 ball to the Yankees' .598.

Until the Orioles were swept by the Cardinals on May 20-22 on the road, they had gone 106 straight regular season series of at least two games without being swept. Their most recent sweep in the regular season before that St. Louis series was May 13-15, 2022 at Detroit. That was easily an O's club record and the third-longest sweepless streak in major league history. The previous O's record was 46 straight series in 1971-1972.

But after losing to the Yankees 4-1 Friday and 6-1 yesterday, a loss today would mean the Orioles have been swept in two straight series and in three of their past seven series.

The sweeps have been marked by poor Orioles offense. They scored eight runs in three games when swept at St. Louis. They scored 13 runs in three games at Houston, but 11 runs came in one game. They scored two runs in three games against the Cubs and have scored two runs in two games this weekend.

During the five-game losing streak, the Orioles have scored four runs on 33 hits with just one homer, five walks and a .201 batting average. They are 1-for-31 in the span batting with runners in scoring position. In the five games, their team ERA is 5.80 and they have yielded a .296 batting average and .882 OPS.

Since they were swept at Houston, the O's are 8-13 in 21 games. In this span, their team ERA is 5.72 and they have allowed 35 home runs and an .820 OPS. At bat they are scoring 3.7 runs per game. 

As of June 20, the Orioles were 49-25 with a +125 run differential. Since June 21 they have a -46 run differential.

The Birds had a three-game lead atop the division on Tuesday but a loss today would drop them into second place.

As the teams battle to gain the divison lead today, right-hander Dean Kremer (4-5, 4.42 ERA) takes the mound for his 12th start. The Orioles are 5-6 in his 11 games. Two starts ago, Kremer pitched five scoreless at Seattle. In his last game versus the Cubs, he gave up seven runs (five earned) in four innings. 

In five home starts, Kremer is 1-3 with a 6.58 ERA and has allowed nine homers in 26 innings. In his road starts, he has a 2.73 ERA, allowing three homers in 31 innings.

On April 30 versus the Yankees, Kremer gave up two runs in seven innings. In 10 career games, he is 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.374 WHIP against New York.

Lefty Carlos Rodón (8-7, 4.63 ERA) had an ERA of 2.93 on June 10. But in five starts since he has allowed five, eight, eight, three and four runs. His ERA is 10.57 in that span where opponents have hit .350 off him with an OPS of 1.107.

In 12 road starts, he is 5-5 with a 5.03 ERA and 1.372 WHIP.

He faced the Orioles on May 2 and gave up three homers and seven runs (six earned) in four innings. Ryan Mountcastle, Jorge Mateo and Ryan McKenna hit solo homers. In six career games, he is 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA versus the Orioles.